Elastic tire.



N0. 69|,574 v Patented Jan. 2|, I902.

J. BAIER & E. CLARK.

ELASTIC TIRE.

(Application filed Aug. 22, 1901.)

(No Model.)

LII-[15555.5 ITLVEHEURS (Zia/v2,

THE NORRIS PETERS co. FHOYO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH BAIER AND EMILY CLARK, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELASTIC TIRE.

SPEGIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,574, dated January 21, 1902.

Application filed August 22, 1901. Serial No. '72,859.' (No model.)

ject of the Emperor of Germany, and EMILY CLARK, a subject of the King of Great Britain, both residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Elastic Tires, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention'relates' to improvements in elastic tires of the kind or class in which metallic springs are employed in producing the elasticity. According to one part of our said invention we build up a tire from a number .of arch-shaped springs or elastic'units arranged transversely at short distances apart around the wheel rim or felly and connected at their inner parts to a circumferentially-extending spiral or other wire which holds them on the said rim, the sides of each elastic unit being connected by transverse springs of india-rubber, spiral wire, or the like, so as to prevent excessive lateral yielding of the said units when supporting a load. The said elastic units are also connected to each other in suitable positions by metal wires or links, so as to maintain them in their proper relative positions, and an outer covering or coverings of canvas, india-rubber,wadding, or the like is or are provided on the outside of said elastic units to complete the contour and protect the said springs from the action of moisture, 850.

According to another part of our said invention We provide an improved form of spring for use in forming the elastic units above mentioned and for similar purposes, so as to provide a large flat surface to equalize and distribute the pressure of the said springs over the outer covering, and thus reduce the Wear thereof. For this purpose we provide two or more spiral coils of hard steel or other suitable wire which are flattened and joined together edge to edge by metal wire, preferably of smaller diameter and in the form of a spiral interlocking with the coils of the flattened spirals above mentioned.

Our said invention also comprises other improvements, hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention can be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of a portion of one form of our improved tire. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 isa detail view, drawn to an enlarged scale, illustrating the method of constructing our improved spring. Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views illustrating modified forms of spring. Like letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts throughout the drawings.

a is the wheel-rim, and b an elastic unit consisting of two flattened spirals c c, of hard steel or other wire, arranged edge to edge and united by fine wire (1, wound between the adjacent coils, these united spirals being bent into the form of an arch and having their ends connected together atan angle by fine wire 6. These V-shaped parts of the arches rest on the interior of the rim (1, inwhich they are held by a circumferentially-extending spiral spring f, which can, if desired, be itself flattened, or a plain circumferentiallyextending wire or ring can be used for this purpose instead of the spiral springf. The

opposite sides of each arch are connected together by means of a spring g, of india-rubber, attached thereto by cord, tape, or the like It. This spring resists lateral distention of the arch, thus increasing the load which can be safely placed upon it.

j j are loops of wire connecting the sidesof adjacent elastic units to retain them at their correct distance apart.

It 70 are layers of canvas forming part of the tread, which may be completed by an outer cover or sheath Z, of fabric and india-rubber or of india-rubber secured to the wheel-rim a by hooks and eyes or other suitable fastenings. The layer 7c of canvas preferably extends around and incloses the springs b, as shown.

7 The flat springs c c d, forming each elastic unit,"can be made as follows: The spiralsv are won nd in any suitable known manner and then extended so as to separate slightly the constituent coils thereof, after which the said coils are all inclined in the same direction relatively to the axis of the spiral, so as to form a flat series of superposed coils. Two of these flattened spirals are then placed edge to edge and united by a third spiral d, of thinner wire, passing between their coils, Fig. 3, thus forming a flat spring possessing great flexibility in all directions and not liable to fracture. If desired, the width of the spring can be increased by securing three, four, or more springs edge to edgefor example, four, as shown in Fig. +Lor, if desired, the spiral wire connecting two pairs of springs may only extend over the top or tread part of the arch. The flat springs above described can, moreover, be used in a tire in the form of a continuous spiral extending around the rim or felly of the wheel instead of in separate units, as above described.

According to another form or modification of ourinvention the elastic units can be made of flattened spirals arranged singly. These spirals are provided with transverse springs and are connected together and to a circumferentially-extending spiral or other wire, as in the arrangement hereinabove mentioned. In some cases, moreover, a fiat spiral can be bent into zigzag form and the angles bent round and joined to a eircumferentially-extending spiral or other wire, the several inclined elastic units so formed being, if desired, provided with transverse springs and connecting loops or links. In some cases, however, ourimproved tire can be made with springs of diiferent iorm-for example, that shown in Fig. 5, consisting of a spiral of hardsteel or other wire m, inclosing a hollow or solid core of india rubber or like material 19.

\Vhat we claim is- 1. An elastic tire comprising a cover of flexible material, a number of arched metal springs arranged within said cover, transverse springs connecting the sides of said arched springs, connections between adjacent arched springs, and a circumferential wire to which said arched springs are connected, su bstantially as described.

2. In an elastic tire, aseries of arched metal l springs each consisting of two or more fiattened spirals of wire united edge to edge, transverse springs connecting the sides of said arched springs, connections between adjacent arched springs, and a circumferentiallyextending spiral wire to which said arched springs are connected, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in an elastic tire, of an arched spring consisting of spiral coils of hard-metal wire flattened and joined together edge to edge by wire, and springs connecting the sides of said first-named spring at uniform intervals, substantially as described.

t. In a tire, an elastic unit consisting of spiral coils of hard-metal wire flattened and joined together edge to edge by wire, said coils being bent into the form of an arch and having their ends connected together at an angle, and a transverse spring of india-rubber connecting the opposite sides of said arch, substantially as described.

5. An elastic tire comprising a series of arched metal springs, transverse springs connecting the sides of said arched springs, connections between adjacent arched springs, a circumferentially-extending spiral spring to which said arched springs are connected, fabric inelosing said springs, a cover of elastic material, a wheel-rim, and means for securing said cover to said wheel-rim, substantially as described.

in testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH BAIER. EMILY CLARK. Witnesses:

ERNsT AAPPERT, WM. 0. BROWN. 

